Fallen Baby
by Color-Cat65
Summary: Finding new life, lone Hunter Vala Tash takes the chance to raise a Fallen baby as one of her own. Join her as she battles the hardships she never thought any Guardian would ever experience: Parenthood.
1. Prologue

**This is my story from the Destiny forums called Fallen Baby and I wanted to publish it here of all places. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Prologue: Finding Treasure**

There was so much ash. So much ash and destruction around her. The air smelled of gunpowder and the metallic scent of blood permeated the air. _Fallen blood_ she remembered as she left her hiding place.

All round her there were Fallen, known pirates and plunderers of her solar system. Now they were dead lumps to be exact. And it is was all her fault. She sighed, the sound reverberating all around her in the empty room. No, not empty. It was just silent. She grimaced at the old saying the Warlocks would mutter after missions. _"Dead men tell no tales."_ was it? Not that she could understand Fallen speech. The clicks and guttural growls never really got through her head

It was an accident if you were ask her. A routine engram run on Earth. Her Ghost decided it was best to head in a random direction but she couldn't be so sure. But things got quickly out of hand when she had wandered a bit too far out. By far out, she meant that even the old colony ships were nothing but a speck in the distance. Out here, engrams were abundant, rare. She couldn't miss this chance.

Instead of those rich treasures she was promised there was a tattered Fallen Ketch. Being a little brave but foolish, she charged in to eradicate the inhabitants immediately. Her scout rifle took out the first that charged for her, their wire rifles too slow to charge at her speed. And her shotgun became her best friend when a Captain had gotten a _bit_ too close. But as a Hunter, a Bladedancer no less, she had used the old invisibility tactics many of her brethren had used before her.

In the end, they all crumpled under her relentless bullets. The spoils of war were nothing but Ether Seeds, some banners and blue engrams. She then wandered into the Ketch only to have to battle a few more Fallen inside. They seemed to be lost but attacked her on sight, her guns being taken out once more. They fell like the rest, their Ether escaping their lifeless bodies. She marveled at the interior design once she knew they were all gone and she let her hands run over the metal wiring running through the floors. She felt the smooth fabric of a dead Captain's cape, liking the texture. She explored what looked like a war zone, bullet holes here, scorch marks there and blood splattered across many surfaces like paint. But then she began to bore the longer she stayed there. And now here she was, kicking away useless rubble, not sure what to do next. But then she heard it.

 _Click click click!_

Her scout rifle was at ready before she knew it.

Stepping with almost no noise, she tried to locate the source. Where was it? More importantly, _what was it?_ She had never heard that sound before. And she had heard a lot of sounds as her life as a Guardian.

 _Click! Creee..._

 _There!_

There, in a small pod, was where the noise was coming from. Her eyes took in the scene before her as she waited for the sound again. All around her there were more pods but their glass hatches were either closed or cracked. There were pools of blood dripping from some of them. The sight disturbed her. What had happened in here? She hadn't stepped foot in the room so why was it like this?

Her answer came in the form of one little hand peeking out of the pod that she was watching. Three fingers to be exact. Inching closer, the Hunter was prepared for something to fly out and strike her so her blade was drawn. When none came, she allowed her guard to slip a little bit. When her eyes finally landed at what was in this pod they widened.

There, nestled on a red cloth, was a little creature. It's large four eyes blinked rapidly, as if it was not expecting her. She did not expect it either. A baby Fallen lay right in front of her, it's stubby four arms moving about. It clicked at her, questioning in its language. When no response came, it reared back, snarling. What was this strange creature? Where were his caretakers or his brothers? The silence scared him and he squeaked in fear when the creature lifted up a strange object over its head.

Knife poised, she was ready to end its life. Another Fallen she wouldn't have to worry about, right? But staring into those wide, innocent eyes made her falter. _She had to kill it, right? Who would miss it? It's brothers were dead, their life put out early._

The Fallen baby surprised her when it reached its four arms towards her and clicking rapidly. It's language spilled out in a garbled mess as it squeaked and cried. She surprised herself even more when she put her knife back and lifted it up into her arms. The small creature responded by wrapping around the her in an embrace, burrowing itself into her arms. She rocked it back and forth gently, unable to understand what she was doing. Within a few minutes, it was asleep, her eyes taking in the gentle rise and fall of its chest.

"You're a strange one." She whispered to it, not wanting to wake it up. "But I guess I'm even stranger to have done this. You're so little, so frail, so innocent. I can't kill you."

No, she would kill Fallen who came at her with blades and guns. Heck, she'd kill anything that did that to her. But she couldn't kill a baby, a _Fallen_ baby no less. Her gaze softened as she watched it grasp her finger, her heart thudding against her chest with warmth. She took in the small chest as it slowly rose and fell with every slumbering breath and the occasional twitch it did. She then knew what she had to do.

"I will raise you, young one." She said to it, her voice resolute, "I will raise you to be like one of us. Not in a way others would see, but in a way that you could help us. And I will be here to make others understand that you aren't a monster."

Engram hunting long gone from her mind, she slowly walked out of the Ketch, mindful of the little bundle in her arms. Summoning her sparrow, she made a makeshift sack out of her cloak to hold the Fallen baby close. She rode out afterwards, a whole new world opening up to her.

"I hope you guys have diapers or I'm going to have to do a lot of explaining to Cayde when I get back. Also, I don't think there's a manual on raising Fallen babies. This is going to be hard."

She smiled though, not expecting her day to turn out like this.

Either way, she had found a little treasure of her own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hope you're all having a good day!**

 **Chapter 2: Problems**

"No."

"Cayde, _come on!_ Just look at it!"

"I said no. You know how everyone feels about the Fallen. And you brought it _here_ of all places."

The Hunter Vanguard did have a point. The Exo man was kind enough to step away from his duty in order to speak with her, but she did not expect his immediate rejection.

After her encounter with the Fallen Ketch, she tried her best to make the little one comfortable. Meaning she had to remove her cloak and use it for many things that she rather not speak of. She did ignore the taunts and jabs at her and even snarled at a persistant Warlock but she still held her head high. Hunters were prideful creatures, their arrogant and risky personalities that always seemed to clash with others. Her kind was just a bunch of stubborn asses most of the time. She passed a few of her brethren, their eyebrows raised at her cloak. She glared right back at them, relaying the message that they should leave her alone. Some left with hands raised in surrender while others grimaced at her before moving on. She instantly felt bad about that once they left her alone. They were probably just wondering why their treasured cloaks were being treated that way.

 _I'm pretty sure I've disrespected every Hunter that ever existed._

Her Ghost did not offer any objections as they rode in silence. It only stared at it with _curiosity?_ She didn't know or care, her only priority was to think of ways to convince Cayde to help her. She thought of many things and found a few worth a shot but as she neared the City they flew out the ship and decided to drift in space.

Landing was a little problem because the jarring woke it up. From another cloak she had made into a carrying sack, the Fallen baby stirred. Four large eyes blinked and stared up at her innocently as if it was questioning her. Hell, she was questioning herself and her life choices as she left her ship. She was taking it to where most of its kind would wet their pants at. The Tower was like a nest of Guardians, all used to pulling out their guns at the drop of a pin.

Long used to the sounds of the Hangar, she walked along. But the Fallen baby wasn't used to it. The new sounds made it flinch and it always tried to peek out to see what it was but she kept its head down. It was enough already that many were seeing her with her cloak fastened around her front instead of flowing behind her.

Again, she had probably disrespected every Hunter that ever existed.

The simple task of getting to the Vanguard representatives was so easy but now it seemed like a life or death situation. She passed by Rahool, who gave her a strange look. Not sparing the Awoken man a glance, she threw her Ether Seeds at him and left quickly. Then Banshee tried to stop her to talk and she dumped engrams on his table. The old Exo gave a surprise yet grateful look as she passed. Even Xander tried to stop and chat with her but she wisely ignored the bounty frame for he was surrounded by other Guardians. She didn't have time for chat. She was a woman on a mission.

Cayde had seen her the second her head peeked out from the other side of the room, his robotic eyes zeroing in on her as she waved for him to come over. She smiled when he held up a finger for her to wait as he tended to a piece of paper in front of him. Cayde was an old friend from a time life was easy and full of warmth. Now, he was always trying to sneak away but the Vanguard always kept a tight leash on him. If she could, she'd take his place for a few days and let the man exhaust himself on any planet he wanted. Instead, she would smile and share her stories with him to make him feel less trapped. Waiting patiently, she watched as he spoke a few words to both Zavala and Ikora and walked towards her. The second he saw what she was carrying, he quickly denied her any help which led her current situation.

"Then what should I do with it? Just _leave it out there to fend for itself? Hand it over only for you to kill it_? I thought you would understand. I guess I was wrong." She knew of Cayde's encounter with that Fallen Baron, how for a brief time enemies could be allies. It pained her to see that things could never be solved with enemies like her kind and the Fallen. Speaking of Fallen, she felt the small creature stir once more in its clothed shelter. It seemed to be tired of being hidden, and clicked and squeaked to be let out. She realized that the longer she spent time with the small thing she could read it better. Right now it was curious and tired so she did what she thought was best. Her hands gently ran over its head where small tufts of reddish brown hair was growing. Within a few minutes it nestled back into its cocoon and fell asleep.

Cayde watched the exchange, his mind replaying memories of his battles and losses. He had lost a Fallen ally that day. And he had to kill her himself. He had lost that bet to Andal too and look where he was now. Oh how he wished to be back into the field.

 _Maybe it's time for change._

"Look," he said with a sigh, giving in. "I'm not saying you can't _keep_ it." She cheered silently at that. "I'm just saying that you can't keep it here. You still have your Guardian duties. If Zavala found it he'd snap its neck and give you an earful for years. If Ikora found it then you would have to watch it slowly die as she dissects it for _research_. You can't keep it here. But that isn't my decision so do what you wish. I'm not your parent so I will not tell you what to do."

He saw the challenge in her eyes, the determination and resolution shining brightly in them. He thanked the Traveler silently that she was a Hunter. Nobody told them what to do or stuck their heads in books to learn things. He turned to leave, but her hand landed on his forearm to stop him.

"Does Ikora have a book on Fallen and raising their young? Please tell me she does otherwise I'd have to ask the Fallen themselves and I don't think that's a good idea."

"I'll go and see. Stay here and stay hidden. I'm pretty sure that the other Guardians have taken in your strange appearance and want answers." _Dear Lord, that cape has a spot on it. What it did to it I don't want to know_. With that, the Hunter Exo turned around and walked towards Ikora. She couldn't hear what they were saying but Cayde was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, a sign of nervousness. Ikora sighed before turning around to the bookshelf behind her. She rummaged through the old books and retrieved the one she was looking for. Handing it off the Cayde, the Warlock said a few more words before he slowly walked back to her.

"You owe me a legendary engram and a few glimmer for that." He said as he handed the parcel to her.

"Thank you. I promise to bring you a few." Grinning, she took the book and let her ghost put it away to storage for her.

"Good to hear. Now get out of here. Shaxx is looking at you and I'm sure you have places to be." With a dismissive wave of his hand, Cayde left. True to his word, Shaxx was looking at her with a look that said he wanted answers. Well, it looked like that to her. She couldn't tell what the man was thinking behind his helmet.

"Now let's go, little one." Whispering, she walked briskly away to go back to the Hangar. "First things first. We have to find a place to raise you. We can think of the rest along the way."

The Fallen baby purred as if it was agreeing with her. Well at least it was comfortable. That, and destroying her cloaks one by one. She smiled though, already growing fond of the small thing minute by minute.

 _And another thing. I have to go shopping. I have a feeling I won't be back in the Tower for a long time._

Her problems were just beginning and no matter how much she thought she was prepared, it was nothing compared to the new weight of responsibility placed upon her.

 _Welcome to parenthood, Guardian._


	3. Chapter 3

**Destiny is an awesome game!**

 **Chapter 3: Settling Down**

"Okay I'll take about fifteen to twenty of those encoded miscellaneous engrams, Rahool."

The Awoken male raised an eyebrow at the choice of words. But he did as he was asked to do, decoding them all and handing over twenty common Hunter cloaks. Glimmer dropped into his hands, their blue shine the sign that their deal was done. Closing his large hand over the currency, he nodded with an appreciative smile.

"Though I want to ask what you want to do with these Vala Tash, I will not. Safe journeys ahead."

Vala nodded, holding the Fallen, no, _her Fallen_ baby closer _._ Her Ghost instantly took the many cloaks away to storage. Wherever that was, she couldn't care right now. Saying her thanks and a silent goodbye to the Cryptarch, Vala stepped away with a smile of her own.

Instead of flying out of the Tower right away, Vala had decided to stay around a bit longer to get supplies to raise her new child. There was constant trips to her ship which prompted Amanda Holliday to question her what she was doing. Vala diffused the confusion by saying it was just to decorate her ship. Yeah, she could go along with that.

The Hunter made up her mind to raise the Fallen baby away from Guardians. They wouldn't understand and try to take him away from her. She was pulling a Toland, but for a good cause. She was just feeling a tab bit crazier than he was .

 _I'm going broke on my behind but I can easily hunt for more_.

Her pockets started feeling a little less heavy after a few trips and she had to stop herself from freaking out. What if she ran out of money? Or what if someone decided to see what she was hiding? The tension hung over the Hunter, her mind reeling with all the possible thoughts and outcomes the situation could be. maybe she should have asked for more about the Fallen from Cayde. Maybe she should have thought her situation out more. Maybe-

"Guardian, have you come to see my wares?"

The deep, almost guttural voice called out to her. Thoughts pushed aside, Vala looked up to see the Agent of The Nine, Xur, standing there. She looked around her, figuring she was in the Hangar pub by the looks of the people milling about and the jukebox playing some weird song. If she wasn't hiding her small treasure then maybe she would have gone down for a few drinks. Shaking her head to dispel such lazy thoughts, she continued to stress about her current situation. Xur was talking to her and was probably waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry? I didn't mean to intrude on your business. Have a nice day." Vala didn't know how she got here in truth. _Must've made a wrong turn._

But Xur wasn't looking at her. He was looking at the cloth wrapped around her chest. Vala hugged it closer to herself, her instincts taking over. If someone was going to hurt it then they'd have to get through her first. Some hairy faced, suspicious merchant or not she would fight him if it came down to it. But Xur showed no sign of aggression, but of pure curiosity. His yellow eyes narrowed, Vala instantly became nervous, wondering if he knew what it was she was carrying.

"You carry a special one, Guardian." Was that a compliment? Was Xur complimenting her baby snatching a Fallen?

"I'm sorry? Please elaborate."

One of Xur's hands reached out to touch the cloth and she stepped back. Her hand instantly went to her Hunter knife warningly, her eyes daring for him to try that again.

"May I see?" He amended with open palms out to her.

Looking between Xur and the bundle secured with her, she contemplated. Her eyes looked around them, relieved to find that nobody was paying attention either. With great reluctance, she let Xur move the cloth so he could see the creature she was hiding.

Xur stood there, taking in the slumbering Fallen baby. It's brownish skin was soft to touch and the Nine's Agent felt pity for it. But also a flicker of hope as well. Could it be true? Had the rumors of long ago be real? Hope blooming in his chest like a flower in a desert, Xur, careful not to disturb it, moved one of its arms. There, he found his proof.

On its lower left arm was a birthmark. A small one, but it was there nonetheless. It was dark and the shape of a blurry star, the image sticking out against it skin. Xur could only stare. And in a long, long time, he felt _happy_.

 _This is the one! The prophecy has begun! I must tell The Nine._

"Are you okay? You seem really quiet. Well, more quiet than usual."

Xur looked up to the female Hunter, his ever blank face present hidden in the shadows of his cloak. _I must not tell her. It is for the best. But I may be of help to her._

"Guardian." Vala jumped at his voice but gave her full attention. "You must raise it, teach it, _protect it_ from harm. You have a big heart to take on this role and it will one day pay off. But right now, hide. Shy away from the threats that you are used to. Be safe. I will provide you with necessities." As Xur said this he pulled out different cloths from who knows where. He presented it Vala who took it albeit confused.

"You know about raising Fallen?" The other nodded, reaching into his many pockets to give more. Vala watched, her eyes widening in surprise and felt quite disturbed at how much the merchant could carry. Xur paid her no mind, only reaching for more from his robe.

"The Nine know all." was his cryptic response to her question, pulling out _more_ items. She would not, or rather, dare not ask about it again in favor of silently watching his hands move about.

It took many minutes later but Vala set out of the Hangar pub, her shoulders wrapped with different cloths, items, and a few parchments Xur had woven in and around her body. The extra weight almost made her topple over a few times but she managed to save herself at the last second. Amanda Holliday had again asked, bewildered, as to why she was carrying so much. This time, she received no answer. Vala bid her a silent goodbye as well though. She liked the feisty blonde. Always absorbed and totally dedicated to helping out other Guardians reach out to the stars.

Climbing into her ship, Vala started it and took off, only looking back to the Tower one more time. Her home, growing smaller and smaller as she left the Earth's orbit made her frown. She would miss the Tower, sure, but she had a mission. And like every Hunter who took up a dead brother's cloak, it was a vow.

 _I hope Ikora doesn't come looking for the book. And I hope Cayde won't get murdered for giving it away._

Flying around many planets, Vala tried to think of a place to land. Was Mars a good choice? _No. The Vex and Cabal can be noisy neighbors._ How about the Moon? _No, the Hive pretty much live everywhere. Can't have them digging around_. So Venus? Venus sounded like a great idea with the planet's deep and vast jungles.

So Vala did just that. Jumping straight to the jungle planet, the Hunter flew low in the atmosphere but high enough so her ship never touched anything dangerous. She circled the outer parts of the planet paths other Guardians took, trying to find a place to land.

 _Come on. Just one place..._

The green landscape rushed around her. There had to be a place. There had to be.

 _There!_

In the distance there was a small clearing. Trees around it created a barrier to the outside world and jungle vines grew everywhere around it. It immediately looked perfect to the wandering Hunter. Landing her ship, Vala immediately stepped out and took out her scout rifle. She stood still, listening for sounds, any slight indication that could be described as dangerous.

The Fallen was wrapped around her, it's four arms tight against her abdomen like she would drop it the second she made it let go. It clicked worriedly, four blue eyes staring up at her innocently. Rubbing her back to try and comfort the child, she closed her eyes and listened once more.

 _Bugs, wild animals, the Fallen baby clicking. Nothing..._ Greatly satisfied, Vala walked around trying to find a cave. The grassy small field had a small patch of flowers that bloomed with red and orange petals.

 _This is so beautiful. I see a cave too!_

And she did find it, hidden behind a curtain of thick vines. The inside was larger than she expected but Vala was happy nonetheless. The ground was hard, the stone worrying her where some parts stuck up a little dangerously. Walking back outside, she found a small stream trickling through one side of the field. Though Vala didn't have to eat, she still drank water but she didn't trust the small trickle. She would have to purify it.

"Welcome, little one. This will be your home."

Gently unlatching it's four arms from her, Vala set it down. The Fallen clicked and squeaked rapidly, not knowing why it was let down but the green expanse in front of it instantly captured its attention. Vala watched, amazed, as the Fallen baby crawled through the grass happily. It tromped about and squeaked when something caught it's eye.

One problem down and Vala sat down next to it as it tried eating the grass. She smiled when it spit it back out and clicked angrily. Ruffling the brownish red hair once again, she laughed as it tried more of the grass like it had not learned its lesson the first time.

"First, fix this place up." Four large eyes looked up, wondering what the creature was saying. "Then, maybe I can move things into the cave." Though the Fallen baby did not understand, the voice sounded safe, comforting. Ignoring the grumbling of its stomach for the things it tried to eat it crawled on Vala's lap and purred.

"Also, I should name you. I just don't know what fits for you." Petting its head once again, she looked up to the sky in a daze. Then she smiled happily, satisfied and extremely comforted knowing she was a mother.

All in all, Vala Tash felt the firsts stirrings of maternal love for the Fallen she had adopted. It was strange and downright villainous for other Guardians but she couldn't care less.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope you all have a nice day! And hope you enjoy this chapter**

 **Chapter 4: The Danger**

In truth, Vala never felt so content in her life. After clearing away those pesky lumps and spikes on the cave floor, she found that the Fallen baby was already trying to stand up on its two legs. Surprised, she opened the book that Cayde had given her, mindful of all the frail pages she was flicking through. Though her mind was intent on reading, her eyes always strayed to the bumbling Fallen which never seemed to tire. Then it went to the many things she would have to do in order to keep her new _son_ safe _._ Vala didn't know whether it was a boy or a girl but felt rather sure it was a boy. She had to check later.

Her mind was elsewhere as the Fallen, tired of trying to stand up, crawled over to where she was. Only when he laid his head down did Vala smell it. Immediately pinching her nose, the Hunter picked him up and walked toward s the stream. Gently, she lowered his lower half into the water where it washed away his waste downstream. And there went another cloak. The Hunter realized it was a boy too.

 _I hope those Fallen drink this_.

Vala then shook herself slightly, embarrassed she would think that. She _did_ steal one of their own after all. Sighing, she cut a strip off of a new cloak and tied it around her child's waist. With new diapers, he took off to explore some more. She watched, a soft look on her face before turning away. The little one busy, it gave the Guardian time to pull things out of her ship and into their new home. Her Ghost helped a lot with various tasks but only seemed to want to chat about nothing in particular. Humored, they both talked while they worked with eyes carefully following the Fallen. It was a tiring task with the trips but once Vala was done the cave didn't look the same anymore.

The entrance was still hidden by vines but little red strings hung loosely from some. Her Ghost had to do something with that. She carpeted the floor with the many cloths Xur had given to her making the cave feel a bit more homey. She didn't want to say, but she managed to snag a Hunter banner from the Tower before she left. It now hung on one side of the walls as a small reminder of what she left behind. Small knickknacks were littered here and there too in which had to be put up further when _someone_ wandered in and tried to eat them. Cough cough.

Leaving her sanctuary wasn't all that hard if you asked her. Vala was a Hunter. She slept outside more times than she could count. It was nothing new. But with company, _a Fallen baby no less_ , she felt somewhat anxious. What if she rolled over and smushed the poor thing in her sleep? The new mother read the whole book, or tried to, with the little one always wanting attention.

Another thing she noticed was that her Fallen child was quick, always looking into things. Had they not given him any freedom when he was born? Or was that something Fallen babies did? The book did jack squat. It only theorized where Fallen came from, not how to raise them.

 _Shows how little we know of things_.

She felt bitter at that thought. In all her years, the only thing that her people did was kill and slaughter. Its what her kind did once they were revived. There was no changing that she knew. They didn't take time in understanding others. Toland did, and look where that got him. Cayde was an example as well. Was she to be an example too? A test of some sorts? Vala would slit the throats of anyone who thought of her as an experiment. Friend or foe alike.

Still busy cutting cloaks into smaller pieces, the Fallen baby rushed by her again. The thing had a lot of energy! She wished she could keep up with him.

"Your name is still a question though." Hearing her voice, the Fallen stopped. "You like speed, huh? Well, let's try this!" Jumping up, Vala picked up the baby and held her in her arms in a secure hold. She then ran with all the agility and grace a Hunter had. She double jumped, she soared, she sprinted everywhere she could see. The bundle in her arms squeaked in surprise but began clicking rapidly and holding his arms out. Vala felt a surge of affection for the Fallen, something that surprised her but felt good to do. It felt good to care for something. It felt so wonderful to call someone yours and to love them unconditionally. Even if it meant that someone was your enemy.

After a few more minutes, Vala began to wind down, her breath coming out in short puffs. The other was not done though. Gripping Vala in his three finger hold, he wanted to run again. He loved the feel of something flying around him in a crazy rush and he wanted more.

"Not now, little one. You're too much for an old girl like me." The Hunter joked as she sprawled herself on the grass. Slightly disappointed, he lay on top of her. Her heartbeat reverberated through his body in steady beats, the sound and feel making him close his eyes in content. Vala observed with a small smile that he was purring again. She brushed her hand against his growing hair gently, liking the feel of it and knowing her son did too judging by the ever present purring.

The Venus sky was darkening, some stars shining through the clouds like beacons. Not only were those lights twinkling, but the air around her was as well. Fireflies, the small insects that she loved to see, were slowly making their way around them. Flashing brightly, they made her relax and breathe a sigh of relief. The air cooled but she didn't pay it any mind, only wrapping an arm around her son to keep him warm.

"Bolt." She admitted aloud when she saw a shooting star. The Fallen looked to her then back to the night sky. "Bolt. Doesn't that sound nice? You will race across your foes so fast they won't be able to see you. They will cower before you as you leave them in the dust. Bolt suits you. And you're my shooting star." Lifting him up, Vala hugged her adopted child close. She smiled when Bolt did the same, wrapping his arms around her.

The moment was ruined when Bolt, feeling quite content, began to wheeze. It sounded painful and Vala moved him away from her to look at him. His brown skin was cold to the touch, and he was shivering. Panicking, Vala picked him up and sprinted into the cave.

"Ghost! Light please!" Once inside, she placed Bolt on one of the blankets and ran over to a pile in the corner where she frantically began to shift through. Xur's warning he had told her earlier came into her mind as she tried to move things around.

" _Guardian you must know that he will not survive without Ether."_

 _"What do you mean? I thought they were carnivores?" Vala said, looking down to its sleeping form._

 _"No, they need Ether, given by Servitors only, to survive. He is quite strong to have survived this long but do not take your chances." He warned with his deep voice. It unsettled Vala to hear that from him._

 _"But I have the solution. Here." Xur pulled out a small machine and handed it to her._

 _It was a strange contraption to say the least. One end looked like a mask with thin connecting tubes that ended at a medium ball. On a closer look, the ball gave off an eerie purple glow. It looked really familiar._

 _"That is a Servitor eye." The Hunter grimaced, looking closer into the eye as if to question if it was still alive._

 _"It is still active and works as an Ether supplier. All you need is an Ether Seed. It pulls the Ether from the seed and into the tubes. It may work to extract glimmer but it can also extract Ether. The Fallen must breathe into this for a few minutes and he should be fine."_

 _Vala stared down at the contraption in her palms. So this, this small thing, would keep her Fallen baby alive?_

 _"Where did you learn this? And how did you create this?"_

 _"The Nine have their ways." Xur couldn't say that he made that thing himself. It worked though, he himself testing it out._

The longer she tried to remember, the farther Bolt was slipping away. She cursed, wanting to slap herself for forgetting such an important factor. With shaky hands, she thanked the Traveler for nothing in particular as she found the machine.

Being so careful with it, she returned back to Bolt's side. Slipping the mask on, Vala pulled out an Ether Seed from her many pockets. Remembering the instructions she was given, she pressed a small button on the side of the Servitor's eye. The machine whirred loudly, the eye sliding away to the side to reveal an empty socket. Quick as a flash she placed the seed in it and pressed the button. There was a loud click and strange noises emanated from the activated eye. A gas spilled from the side as a purple gas filled the tubes.

Frustrated and scared tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. _Had she already failed? What could she do?_ Holding on to one of Bolt's fingers, Vala closed her eyes and hoped with all her heart he would survive.

She didn't know where these feelings were coming from. Feelings that bubbled up and threatened to spill over any second. Everything seemed to slow down, her watery eyes taking in her child's shallow breathing.

 _Please survive. Please..._

The sleep overtooke her at some point, her exhaustion and worry wearing her down. It was probably morning by then when small rays of sunlight licked at her legs, warning them. Her Ghost also was trying to wake her but to avail no matter how much it poked and prodded.

 _Click, creee..._

Five more minutes. She wanted to sleep. Just five more minutes...

 _Click! Click cree click._

The noise was closer. Her dreams were slipping. She fought though, rolling over to escape the sound.

 _Click..._

A small weight settled itself on her side and four small arms tried to wrap around her. The clicking and buzzing was ever so present now, as if it was excited.

 _My adoptive child is awake._

Then it hit her like a Phalanx shield. _Bolt!_

Rising quickly from her nest of blankets, Vala sat up and yawned. Stretching her muscles felt wonderful since she was sleeping on a cave floor. The small weight, which was covered when she sat up, shifted beneath. More squeaking came from the lump and Vala smiled sleepily at it. She then felt more alert as the memories of last night assaulted her like a slap to the face.

"Good morning, Bolt." Almost in tears, Vala smiled at her son under the blanket. Bolt, up and about, tried to crawl towards Vala's leg. It only got so far and started to cry when he could not locate her. He struggled to get free but was only met with the darkness around him and started to cry louder for her.

"Hush now. I got you."

Delicate hands removed the infernal cloth from his body and raised him up. Bolt's blue eyes stared at his caretaker. It was a strange creature indeed. He knew he was different from it because it had no other two arms and spoke another language. But he felt safe, warm and comforted by its presence. He loved it.

"Last night was pretty hectic, wasn't it?" The response was a small purr. Vala smiled again and hugged Bolt close to her gently. "I'm so happy you survived. You're a strong one and you are going to grow up brave and smart like me. Just don't go trying to steal things from the Cabal. They figure things out quickly." She then laughed at herself for thinking she would ever let Bolt face a Cabal. They were on Mars, far away from her and her child. They wouldn't reach them.

Nothing would reach them here on Venus. She would make sure of that. Vala would fight tooth and nail to keep what she secured, Guardians be damned if they ever tried to find her. She swore she would protect her son no matter what. A Hunter's promise is a vow and they kept that vow till they died and another took it up. Though no Hunter was there to pass it along, Vala made one as she stared down at the now slumbering Fallen resting on her chest.

 _I will protect you no matter what._


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys are great readers even if many don't really like this story. Thank you all!**

 **Disclamier is that I don't own Destiny only my little OCs :)**

 **Chapter 5: Meeting New Faces**

 _I need to listen_.

The jungle flora around him rustled in the wind.

 _I need to stay calm._

If only his breather wasn't making so much noise.

 _I need-what was that?_

His head turned to where he had heard the sound. A bush was making noise ahead of him to the left. The leaves shook slightly but he knew no breeze had come by yet. Pulling out his blade, he stalked towards the undergrowth. Steeling his nerves, he raised to strike.

 _Now!_

Springing his legs forward with agile ease, he jumped over the bush. Landing without hardly any noise, he let his body slightly relax when he saw nothing behind it.

 _Where was she?_ He wanted to beat her at her element. To show her that he could do something like her, a place where he could stand by her. But she was nowhere to be seen. He let out frustrated huff, not liking this one bit.

 _Click!_

He rolled to the left, a bullet missing him by a few inches. He immediately got up to face his opponent which he believed was showing herself right this second. He would take this chance! Yet when his eyes looked around, he growled at her elusive form. She was gone.

"You said no guns!" He said aloud.

Silence.

 _"Mom!"_

A voice laughed from somewhere and the person he was waiting for came through the underbrush. Her long cloak gently swayed with the breeze but he was transfixed on the weapon she was putting away on her belt. Her boots made noise now, not like earlier, as she revealed herself to him.

"Come on, Bolt. I made sure to miss you."

Bolt crossed his four arms in front of him, a sign that he was sulking.

"You only gave me a knife mom. When can I get a gun?" His mother laughed at that and made her way towards him. Her two arms wrapped around him in an embrace and his mood lightened considerably as he returned the gesture. He even purred, nuzzling his head into the crook of her neck, making her laugh lightly. He laughed as well, finding comfort in her presence.

Bolt knew he was different from his mother. For as long as he could remember he had four arms, four eyes, and sharp teeth. She had none of that with her two arms, eyes, and flat teeth. But she loved him nonetheless. He loved her just as much, even more but he would not say that.

"Have you done your lessons?" He nodded, giving her body a tight squeeze.

"Have you gone hunting?" It was her turn to nod though her squeeze was a little harder. Bolt only grunted but made no move to pull away.

"I got another breather for you." she said, ruffling his hair, "Are you ready for practice?"

Practice meant self defense with knives. Still disheartened that he could not wield a firearm like his mother, he brightened up at her voice. He loved to hear his mother's voice. How he just wished to curl up on her lap as she sang or talked him to sleep, her hands gently combing through his hair.

But now was not the time for him to remember his baby days. He had practice to do, fighting moves to learn. He didn't want another incident to happen to him again.

He remembered it so vividly.

When he was old enough to leave at home his mother had left on hunting trips. Bolt waited patiently for her return, playing around the house, their cave home, or climbing trees. She had always returned with things for him and for their house. Bolt felt loved not be abandoned.

But when he asked to follow her one day she insisted that he stay home. After that, she left her Ghost with him. He had to sit and learn a language he somewhat understood. But he got bored quickly. The Ghost was always talking. It never shut up. It acted like his own parent at times but he would listen anyways. His mom was always alerted to any attitude by the Ghost.

So one day he followed, or tried to, his mom on one of her hunts. Her Ghost didn't usually pop up and start talking like it always did so he took that chance and trailed behind his mother. But she was too fast, too agile for him to catch up. He wanted to cry for her to come and take him home but he stopped himself. Bolt wanted to show her that he could do things on his own for once. So he pressed forward, not looking back.

He regretted that decision.

Half an hour later he was already on the verge of crying. Clutching a cloak he had brought with him like a blanket he continued to wander forward. He was lost. He was so lost. Scared beyond his wits, he stumbled into a large clearing. There were creatures walking around and they noticed him. Too fascinated in everything around him he ignored his senses of the danger everywhere. Clicking in awe, Bolt ignored all the warning bells going off in his head, his mother's teaching pushed to back of his mind. One large creature walked towards Bolt and the Fallen had to marvel it its frame. _It has four arms! And four eyes too!_ He was excited to have found one of his own.

A blade came down on him. Bolt dodged it and squeaked in fear. _Why is he trying to hurt me? Can't he see I'm one of their own?_ Bolt let out a cry when it raised an arm to attack again. He closed his eyes, ready for the impact. When none came he opened them to see a body was in front of him.

His mother was here! Her hands held one of her knives, holding it against the other's sword while the other was in front of him. She growled, and repelled the attack. Bolt was shoved away when one of the enemies' hands reached to swipe at him. His mother responded by cutting the creature's hand off. Bolt stared, transfixed at the red liquid spurting forward and some of the drops landing on his arm. He never got to touch the warm substance for his mother to crouch low over him to give him a brief squeeze.

Scared and relieved, he watched as his mother and one of his kind circled each other. They cut, shot, and clawed at each other like wild animals. Well, his mother did while the other backed up. Was it afraid? As he watched, he finally let the constant warnings and thoughts of earlier sink in. His body began to tremble for some reason and he couldn't stop it no matter how much he tried.

Bolt could not sit, a trembling, shaky mess as he watched the battle roar on. He wished with all his heart she would win.

The battle ended before he could process it. A knife was jammed in the other Fallen's chest, a red liquid spilling out once more as it fell. His mother harshly stomped on its body, satisfied it was dead. Curses spilled from her mouth, some words he could and could not understand. Then she turned to him. Bolt felt his heart almost stop when she did. With watery eyes, she ran towards him. Embracing him tightly when she reached him, she immediately felt his body for wounds. Bolt was not hurt, he was just dazed as to what happened.

Relieved to find no injuries, his mother wept. _"What were you thinking?! What if you got hurt? I was so scared! Bolt, my baby..."_ Guilt overcame him as he hugged her, trying to calm her down. She was right. He should have stayed home. Crying with her, he managed to nod and buried his face into her embrace. _I should have listened_.

Terror then overtook him as the tears stopped coming from her eyes. Her next sentence sealed his fate.

"Why did you follow me?"

Bolt was grounded for a week. He was not allowed to leave the cave and had to sit there and listen to the Ghost all day. But on the bright side, his language had improved. Words were spoken more fluently and he had more vocabulary.

 _"Keep up, son!"_

The past pushed away from his mind, Bolt blocked the knife that went for his arm. The cold bite of steel was then moved to his other side. Bolt blocked that too. He swung when his mother jumped away.

"Keep your arms closer." She commanded. Bolt followed her correction.

"Don't swing too wide."

"Don't jump like a grasshopper. Do this."

And the day went that way, Bolt learning new moves and stances for defense from his mother. Tired, he lay down in the grass, breathing hard. The sky was dark, stars peeking though the clouds and successfully catching his attentio.

"Mom I need an Ether Seed." Bolt called out, feeling the Ether in his breather slightly stutter.

His mother rushed into their home and came back out with one in her hand. Refilling his Ether gas, Bolt lay back and stared up at the sky.

"Mom?" He steeled his nerves for what he about to say.

"Yes, Bolt?"

"Can I go on a hunt with you?"

Vala, surprised by the question, dropped her blade which she pulled out to inspect. "What brought this on?"

Feeling much better from the Ether, Bolt sat up with a little bit more courage. "It's just that I think I'm old enough, mom. It's almost been a year since I've stayed at home."

Vala bit her lip from saying things. _I want you here, safe. I want you to stay my little boy for a little while longer._ But she stopped herself. Her son had a point. She couldn't keep him here forever, cooped up like a caged bird.

After a few minutes, Bolt was sure his mother was going to say no. "Okay." Had he heard right? He looked to his parent as if she had grown two more arms. She got up and retrieved a cloak from their home with a somber look.

"I will take you, Bolt. But _please_ ,"she said in a sad whisper, "please listen to me. I don't want you hurt out there. I don't want to see you hurt." Placing the Hunter cloak around his shoulders, she drew the hood up to hide his face.

"Yes mother." He was so excited! His first hunt! He wanted to see what his mother was seeing and fight battles like she did. He felt so happy when she had said yes.

Bolt jumped a little when they set off towards the jungle. It was already almost pitch black due to the darkening sky above them and the telltale fireflies starting to wake up. They walked and sprinted at a leisurely place, Bolt loving the feel of the air around him.

They walked through a copse of thick trees and climbed down a slope of rocks before his mother turned around to face him.

"Bolt, my baby boy, please remember all those months of training. It's time to put them to use." His mother's eyes glazed over a bit but she kept the tears back. "My little boy. I'm so proud of you. You've grown so much, gotten so far. I'm happy I'm your mother." He hugged her, using his four arms to draw her in a tight embrace. Slightly overwhelmed, she tried to hold her sobs back as they hugged.

 _My little boy is growing up._

It seemed so along ago that Bolt was a wee baby, trying to walk on his two legs and speak his first English word. It was almost a year now and Vala had seen him grow so much in a short amount of time. She was saddened, but also proud of her Fallen son. _Her son._

After a few minutes, they broke apart, Vala wiping her eyes quickly. "I will go scout ahead. Stay in the shadows, Bolt. I will be back."

Bolt nodded as he watched his mother run off over a small hill. He always listened to her, no matter how ridiculous it seemed at times. Relaxing behind the trunk of a tree, he patiently waited while his eyes wandered over the new scenery. Reflected by the stars he could see the breeze move the grass slightly. Vines clung and hung down from the various rocks and trees, making the landscape feel more wild, less tamed by the inhabitants.

A few minutes later, Bolt was alerted to a strange sound. It was getting closer. And it wasn't his mom.

"Slow down will you?! You'll hit your head on something!" A deep voice shouted.

"Shut up, Omali. I can do what I want." A second voice retorted.

"Guys calm down. It's just patrol. You can settle this later in the Crucible." A third one, a softer voice of the two called out.

Bolt froze. Terror flooded every pore from his body. _Guardians_. What were they doing here? He failed to realize that he and his mother stopped alongside a long trail but he didn't care. They were here. He wanted to scream for his mother so bad but he let out a small whine instead.

One of them had apparently heard him.

 _Oh no..._


	6. Chapter 6

**I AM SO SORRY. I lost the password to my account and somehow I can't access my email anymore ;A; I had to change a lot of my crap to get on this site again ugh! I'm glad I'm able to be back though.**

 **I'm so sorry if I made you feel like I've abandoned this story omg. But I am here now and I shall pick up the slack! Woo!**

 **This chapter features Om4li's three Guardians from the story I post on the app. I wanted to make this story with the community and they answered it with flying colors. Thank the people who had the time to help me with this story.**

 **Chapter 6: Sparrow Flying**

"Why do Thralls lick the bones?"

"I don't know go ask them."

"They don't speak our language though."

 _"Then kill it Omali. Don't waste your time staring at them for Traveler's sake."_

There was a sudden gunshot, one of the kneeling Thralls disintegrating and then continuous hissing.

"You pissed them off." Omali observed from his crouched position behind a boulder. His bulky frame almost seemed to give away his position but either the Thralls were that dumb or he truly was hidden well he didn't know. A snort gave way at the tap and drag of the enemies feet and he watched them scurry around. The Hive looked like ants, trying to figure out what was wrong and seek out to destroy that threat.

To his left, an Awoken male snorted sarcastically. "Just kill them." He snapped before putting on his helmet. Without even saying anything else remotely sarcastic at him, the Warlock flung himself into the group of hissing enemies. Omali sighed, his other teammate, a female Hunter, did the same.

"Aurelius can be a handful you know that." She said softly. Omali agreed wholeheartedly with her.

"He's not a handful in the Crucible though, Leianna. He owes me a match." Grumbling, the Titan joined the fray, his guns cocked and ready to battle. The Hunter joined seconds later, her hand cannon ready to cave some skulls in.

The battle didn't last long, not with Thralls anyway. If there were more then a sure problem would arise but sadly Omali didn't get to see that challenge. He observed the ammo and empty shells littlering the floor and his two other Fireteam members standing in the middle of it all.

Again, Omali began to think. And his mouth, which never listened to him sometimes, decided to voice his thoughts.

"Do our enemies swallow ammo so when we kill them they pop out? Or do they just magically appear?"

Aurelius groaned and threw an exasperated look to Leianna. She smiled in return, amused and on the verge of letting out a giggle.

"That's it." Omali looked to his Warlock friend as he pulled out his Ghost. _"We are heading to Venus. You and me. Sparrow race. Loser has to buy drinks."_

"Deal." Omali _loved_ a good challenge. With that, they transmatted away to orbit.

The flight to the planet was easy. The only problem was Aurelius trying to spin in the atmosphere. It nearly gave the Titan a heart attack when he imagined his friend going down in a fiery pit of insane. Once they landed, Omali made sure his friend had an earful. The Warlock, though amused, was used to this behavior from him.

"Come off it, Omali!" It was fine for the first minutes but now it annoyed how much the lug headed Titan could mouth someone off. Leianna only watched which in turn made the Warlock even more mad since she didn't help him.

"No! Do you see any other Guardian doing that? What if you had hit a tree? I swear your Ghost chides you as much as I do! Just watch out next time!" Omali couldn't help it. He was a big worrywart. He was the exact opposite of a lot of Titans if you were to ask him. Many didn't question their orders and did what they were told to do. Omali? He would rather enjoy a few hours to ponder and question things some Guardians never thought of.

Like why do hummingbirds hum? Who helped the Fallen when they fell down? Where does ammo come from? Why do Hunters and Warlocks make fun of him about blinking? He could blink fine, his eyes perfect. Or as perfect as an Exo's eyes worked. They were strange.

"Okay, we race from the Shattered Coast and all around until we hit the Ember Caves and back here. You fall off, anyone can pass you. " Aurelius' voice cut the Exo's thoughts down as his friend spoke up. Omali made a snide comment about robes in return, earning a shove that didn't even move him.

He sighed at the poor Warlock, shamed at such a weak attempt but let it go. He knew Aurelius was a Warlock by race, but he was insane like a Hunter at times. Well, to Omali he was. He took risks, made dangerous bets and only had the smarts of a Warlock. Now Leianna was the opposite. She was a Hunter who was more suited to have her head in books as a Warlock. She was quiet but spoke up about her opinions in debates. The Hunter spoke softly, as if raising her voice would set off all explosive Thralls at once in a room. Though she had a somewhat tough demeanor, she was gentle, kind and tried to keep the peace.

Omali was just the middle man who acted like a mother most of the time.

"Remember, be safe you two." Leianna chirped at the two kindly. She knew was going to be the chaperone of their match the second Aurelius opened his mouth. She secretly would have it no other way though. She knew if were to race against one of them she'd be rammed off a cliff.

Summoning their Sparrows, they lined up and waited for the signal.

"Go." Leianna said then coughed, the two males leaving her in a cloud of ash and sulfur.

Both Guardians ahead both battled for the lead with turns and bumps to the other's Sparrow. The beautiful Venus landscape rushed past them in a blur, yet their eyes stayed forward. Omali was winning though. Aurelius, desperate and broke, had to do something drastic.

He began to do tricks in the air.

Omali slowed down considerably.

"Slow down will you?! You'll hit your head on something!"

"Shut up, Omali. I can do what I want." The Warlock smirked. His plan was working.

"Guys calm down. It's just patrol. You can settle this later in the Crucible." Leianna called behind them, having finally caught up but stayed a safe distance away from them. As she rode, a sound caught her attention. Turning her head, she saw a person standing under a tall tree, a Hunter cloak obscuring their face.

It wasn't strange to find one out here, probably doing a mission or just relaxing but her Ghost should have told her that there was a Guardian in the area.

"Guys stop it's a Hunter." She said, her thumb jerking to the side.

All eyes went to where Leianna pointed and sure enough there was a person with a Hunter cloak on under the tree. They all stopped to say hello, not wanting to be rude. Well Omali and Leianna wasn't going to be rude. Aurelius wanted to but a firm glare made him change his decision.

"Hello Guardian." Omali said as they approached.

Silence.

"Can you talk?" Aurelius asked.

Silence.

Leianna immediately became suspicious of this person. Was he or she shaking? Why would they be afraid of them? They were brethren after all.

 _Unless..._

"Omali, remove the cloak." The Hunter demanded, surprising the two and stranger. Omali looked to her for an explanation but her hardened look made him turn around.

 _I should do as she says._ Omali trusted her judgment.

When his hand reached up to remove the cloak he was prepared to have a finger cut off. He knew Hunters could get downright feral when it came to their cloaks. But he made a surprised sound when the figure dodged his hand and didn't try to stab him. He tried again. They dodged it again with no spite or angry words. Omali was too freaked out to say anything but when the person turned to run, the Titan pulled the end of the cloak.

It flew off the mystery person in a quick whoosh. All of their eyes widened.

A Fallen Dreg was hidden under the cloak. The three Guardians immediately took out their guns, fingers on the triggers.

What they didn't expect was it to start shivering. _Did that Dreg have four arms?_ The Titan knew basic understanding of the Fallen hierarchy and it fascinated him a little to see a four armed Dreg.

When it's mandibles opened up, he expected garbled hissing and chittering but it said something that would never leave Omali's memory for the rest of his life.

 _"Mom!"_ it screamed as it pulled a Hunter blade out and held it in front of itself.


	7. Chapter 7

**I need to make these chapters longer. The Bungie app has a character word limit and I'm running on that. I'm sorry.**

 **Chapter 7: Caught**

A cool breeze swept past the lone Hunter stalking through the tall grass. Fingers sweeping over the tips of flora, she felt the moisture of dew on her fingertips even through her gloves. A smile played at her lips behind her helmet, eyes taking in the sights with content.

Why did the Collapse have to destroy such a beautiful place? Venus was far from safe, the volcanic sulphur and acidic rainfall something all Guardians had to watch out for. But underneath all that, the planet was marvelous and breathtaking.

She _was_ resurrected on Venus after all. It was her favorite planet even though it held the echoes of a past she would rather not remember. Not every Guardian had the best past lives.

Silhouetted by the night sky, Vala dashed forward on the empty fields. Her boots bent the grass below easily, making hardly any noise save for the occasional chirp of bugs. Though her posture seemed at ease, her eyes searched for any enemy within the vicinity, scout rifle at the ready. Maybe she'd raid the bodies if they showed their faces. Bolt never ran low on Ether after that first incident. She made sure of that.

Vala would make this the best first hunt her son had. She was dead set on making it happen. A Hunter's first hunt was the most important thing, a rite of passage for many Guardians alike. Even though she knew Bolt was not even close to a Guardian, she would treat him just as one.

A small voice in the back of her mind told her that, _no_ , Bolt couldn't have this first hunt. Not right now. For just a little longer she wanted to keep him safe, keep him swaddled up in their world where no one would hurt him. But the better part of her mind told her that this is how parenthood should be, shouldn't it? Teach a child all the good and bad of the world before seeing them off to figure out what to do with their lives.

Bolt was no exception she knew that. But she just wanted to stay a little while longer. Just a little longer in the safe confines of their home.

 _I hope he's alright..._

The second that thought popped up in her mind, her feet subconsciously switched directions, her brain already thinking of ways of what could happen to Bolt if he was all alone.

 _What if another Fallen finds him? Could he have cut himself again with his blade? Did he wander off?_ Her full motherly mode turned on, she made her way back to her son, the scouting gone from her mind. Well not completely gone, just smothered under her worry.

The soft thuds of footsteps turned into a patter and then she was sprinting the more she thought about how things could go wrong. The anxiousness rolled off her in waves, daring to teeter her over the edge but she fought it. No need for a panic attack over things that probably would never happen.

As she sprinted, she admired to stars above her, their twinkling lights casting such brilliant lights on the land. Bolt's favorite bugs, fireflies, danced together in a flashing array of light on some patches of grass.

 _I should take him here. He'd love it_.

But something bugged the Hunter, a small sense that there was something that would go wrong. A mother's sense? What could describe such a feeling writhing her chest? It nagged at her head with unwanted thoughts, images she had to throw out before she could panic at what could be happening to her son. She hurried her pace, wanting to make sure her son was alright.

 _"Mom!"_

The sudden voice almost made her trip over her own feet. The Light within her stuttered, leaping up for any attack out of instinct. Vala had to pull back the itch of the Arc trying to spark out of her lest anyone in the area would have seen her. Taking deep breaths, the Huntress bounded ahead. Bolt had never screamed like that, never heard such true terror in his voice.

 _Run. Run faster. Never look back. Runrunrunrun-_

A deep seated fear filled her heart as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Her baby. Her little boy was in trouble. She had to be there. Protect her child. _She had to be there!_

" _Mom!_ " Bolt screamed again, his voice rising in pitch. Vala didn't know how fast she was going, didn't see the landscape passing around her in a blur, didn't see anything past her instinct to protect her child. Her Light coiled around her feet, through her arms in sharp static beats that had her heart racing. The Arc within her was responding to her adrenaline, her fear, her mounting anger and undeniable want to be unleashed.

It felt like being resurrected all over again. The worry, the fear of never seeing someone again, the tears and pain if she failed kept her going. She had to.

Over the hill she had to stop herself from charging into battle mode and not thinking about what was happening first. The world spun, her breath came out in sharp gasps as she frantically looked for her son the last place he was. If he wasn't under the tree where she last left him, oh the scolding he would get. But not right now. Maybe after. She felt her heart stop when her eyes landed on what, or _who_ , was making her child frightened.

 _Guardians. Three of them. Where did they come from?_ She knew the signature body builds and marks each class, their identities immediately being known. One Titan, one Hunter, and _oh by the Traveler that coat is horrendous_ stood a Warlock surrounding Bolt.

Her mind blanked when the Titan took hold of Bolt in a vice grip that had her wince. Gods she remembered brawling with those brutes back then and the phantom stings of the bruises she suffered prickled at her skin. She heard him shout and click rapidly, a sign she knew too well. _He's scared. He needs me. Bolt!_

 _"Mom!"_ he called out again, his voice cracking as he said this. The new pitch and the telltale signs of tears appearing on his face made something snap.

Vala moved into action.

She didn't realize her hand had grabbed her blade, the Arc almost grateful for the release. Or her feet as they pounded the earth in her mad dash towards the intruding Guardians. The other Hunter, a woman, turned to look at her with surprise as she descended upon the three in a state of motherly fury.

"Hey! What are-" Vala didn't hear her, her mind long gone from reasoning. She thrust her knife into the leg of the Titan between the plating of his armor, satisfied at the pained shout he emitted. Bolt, realizing that his mother was here, struggled fiercely in the Titan's grip. The other two Guardians were thrown back, Vala delivering two swift kicks to their abdomens. The Light sang within her, the power racing throughout her body. Her mind was sharper, focus clear when she kicked the Warlock when they rose again.

"Hold!" She shouted, knowing that Bolt knew that command by heart, but the hand on his arm was not letting go anytime. So he did the only thing he could, he brought his blade down on the Guardian's arm. The grip lessened and he pulled free with a hiss.

Vala then turned to run, her feet kicking up dust in her haste. Bolt followed, not looking behind him and jumped up on her back. The training of their secret commands were a blessing, the command 'hold' a clear signal to hold onto her and never let go. Pride welled up in her chest for her son for a second before she focused once more on the task at hand. She felt the Dreg wrap his four arms around her tightly, legs locked around her waist as his frame shivering. Vala, long accustomed to his weight, continued on in their escape.

"Hey!" Vala turned her head to see that one of the three, a Warlock, was pursuing them. She cursed, grabbing one of her flux grenades and throwing it behind her. It erupted in a bright flash that blinded their chaser for a few seconds. She immediately took that chance to escape, vaulting into the jungle brush to immediately crouch down and bringing out her blade to attack.

 _Protect. Keep Bolt safe. Run. Don't be seen._ The words chanted over and over again in her head, the knife in her hand shaking. Adrenaline pumped in her veins, her mind abuzz with many thoughts she could not decipher at the moment. Yet Bolt kept returning to her mind, always the one thought that grounded her. She felt him tremble and shiver, his mouth a garble of whispered broken English and rapid clicks. With one hand holding her weapon, the other bent backwards to gently run her hands through her son's hair in an attempt to calm him down.

 _"Mom...mom I was so scared."_ Bolt cried, his tears soaking into her cloak with each sob, _"I thought they were going to kill me. I was so scared..."_ Her heart felt like it shattered in her ribcage, guilt worming into the cracks as she felt her own tears at the edges of her eyes.

 _"I'm so sorry, my baby boy...mommy is here. Don't worry..."_ She gently shushed, adjusting their positions until Bolt was in front of her before holding his body in an embrace. She hugged him close, whispering comforting words to him and started rubbing his back in soothing circles.

They had to freeze as the sounds of footsteps neared. Bolt began to click again, but she held a finger up to his mouth to try and quiet him. She was worried. There was a Hunter in their group and they were notorious for their hearing, a true testament from her being a Hunter herself.

"Did you see that?" The Warlock exclaimed, rubbing his stomach.

"She was a Hunter! Did you see what she did?" The female exclaimed, kicking a stray rock in irritation. Vala didn't like that Hunter one bit.

"Well at least you didn't get stabbed. Twice." The Titan complained as he limped behind the two, a small shower of sparks emitting from his leg and arm. Already the Titan's Ghost was orbiting the wounds, patching up the damage.

Vala held her breath and tightened her grip on Bolt as they neared. The Fallen, finally realized how much noise he was making, quieted down immediately. Both stilled any movements as the Guardians walked by. She swore her heart stopped beating too, afraid even that sound could give away their hiding spot.

They walked right past them. She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief but even that she was reluctant to do.

It took a few minutes or even more, Vala couldn't tell, before their voices were nothing but a slight echo now. By then, Bolt had fully calmed down, his smaller frame not shaking as much. She continued to brush her fingers through his hair, her heart finally starting to slow down. Her muscles tried ease away the tension in her body, her Ghost appearing and floating above to wonder about her rising stress levels.

"That was a close one." It observed, bobbing up and down.

It was then that the guilt and fear she had to put away crashed down on her like a sack of bricks.

Vala cried. She wept openly, her shoulders shaking as she let out quiet sobs. Bolt, the angel he was, asked what was wrong but she couldn't say it. Say how she had failed making this the best first hunt he was supposed to have. Or how close he was to death. Her throat felt too tight, and trying to swallow only seemed to bring up more pain from her chest. She wanted to scream at this feeling yet it only came out in whines and the occasional snuffle.

Bolt suddenly held her tighter, grip almost bruising. "It's okay Mom." He softly said, burying his face into the crook of her neck. Vala hugged him back, not wanting to show how weak she was at the moment.

She felt their roles reversing when mimicked what she was doing earlier when he started rubbing small circles on her back to soothe her. She had the be the strong one, not some weak whelp. Yet as the minutes passed, her tears subsided a little and her sobs turned in sniffles. The sound was pathetic to her ears but Bolt didn't care, not with how he was holding her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Bolt." Vala hiccuped, clutching her son's arms tightly, as if letting him go would make him disappear. "I'm so sorry I left you! Did they hurt you? Oh my god my little baby..."

"I'm fine Mom. I'm just worried about you." His blue eyes looked up to her, shining brightly and searching for any injuries on her. Vala had to push away the sudden urge to cry all over again with how much worry were in his eyes.

Vala's mind was in turmoil by the time they reached home, Bolt having to hold her hand the whole way. She needed to know he was there, still alive, still breathing. The Hunter felt like she had failed. A small part of her brain argued that this wasn't the end of world. That she was a damn Guardian and that any trouble could be overcome. She noticed Bolt try to uplift her spirits, even going so far as trying to sing. But the shadows of what had happened earlier didn't leave. Not even the fireflies he presented her lifted the depressing mood she was in.

When they reached their home, Bolt had to almost grapple his way out of her hold to set up the bedding. Vala just needed to know he was there. That she wasn't just holding on to a dead body, holding onto the hope and love poured into a single being that was gone. She couldn't take another one, not after Andal.

Bolt had to force her to lay down, pulling the covers over her. By then her eyes began to droop, eyes puffy and exhausted from her break down. She still clutched his hand, albeit weakly but Bolt never let go. He crawled in next to her, getting comfortable as she cuddled him close.

The Hunter felt like a child now with Bolt coddling her like this but she didn't care. They were safe. They were okay. But Vala couldn't stop thinking, even when Bolt had long ago fallen asleep.

 _What will happen to us now?_


	8. Chapter 8

**Let's leave a mother and her son to simmer down for a bit. Time to figure out what the three Guardians will do.**

 **This chapter features Om4li's and GHOST 9o5's characters from the app so be nice.**

 **Chapter 8: Secrets**

Tucked below the Future War Cult room, down some stairs, walking past a very haggard looking Arach Jalaal was the one place any Guardian could go to to relax. Well, relax at your own risk. The place could be swarmed with Hunters at night, cards in hand and Glimmer thrown around like candy if you managed to get a them drunk enough. The others knew of this place well.

Warlocks, the smart ones, knew to never stray into that area. The more fun ones (the Hunters deemed them fun ones) wandered in to be merry and most of the time came out exhausted and probably broke. Now the Titans always went in like champs, sporting the best 'don't screw with me' look that had many scoot away. But the longer they stayed, the more they would relax and the night would wear on with cheer from everyone.

The City could do without a few Guardians for a night. The world could easily be at rest for a few hours maybe, just enough for the tired and weary to unwind.

All in all, Tower Hangar was a dearly beloved place in the hearts of the Light wielders. Ask any Guardian, you would be told it was a place of relaxation. A place to wind down from a days work of hunting and fighting. A place to just sit back and feel like a person instead of a killing machine. To make peace and make friends. Just don't invite Executor Hideo. He started the last drunken riot and now a few Hunters and Titans weren't allowed back in.

This place was meant to let go of stress but Omali was far from winding down, far from relaxing.

His friend, Aurelius, had pulled a table for them with a wide grin and started made a mad dash to the bartenders to buy a lot of drinks. A few other Guardians voiced their displeasure as he toted away a brand they liked, his hands grabbing as much as they could off of shelves. The void within him also kept a few bottles floating, powers abused to the few Warlocks present.

"Celebratory drinks." He announced which seemed to calm some down. Omali had to stand up to help, disappointed in the amount taken with a hard sigh. But the Warlock had a firm mind, not backing down by plopping himself into a seat across from Leianna. With a smirk he uncapped a bottle and took a healthy swig without breaking eye contact with the Exo.

Leianna, the sweeter and sensible of the three of them, just drank water with a straw from Aurelius. She was such an angel when she wanted to be. Or maybe because she had a very low tolerance for alcohol. He remembered her calling it 'a distraction' from the last few visits. That time was hectic, Titans bruising for a fight and Hunters cheering them on. She made sure to voice her displeasure and then was vaulted over a table by a pair of brawling Titans. Aurelius never had laughed so hard before and Omali had never seen the Huntress so infuriated. No wonder she was weary of this place.

But Omali wasn't even looking at them. His ever wandering mind was replaying their encounter with that Fallen Dreg over and over again to the Hunter that defended it with such a ferocity it unnerved to Titan a bit. And he was a Titan for crying out loud. They weren't easy to scare.

 _It called her mom. It could speak their language. It had a Hunter cloak. I am so lost._

"Hey Omali, don't forget you're buying drinks." Aurelius said over the rim of his mug of alcohol. One look told that he was far gone, a typical thing whenever they all came down here. Omali had to then shoo away a few conniving Hunters with a twinkle in their eyes, the all knowing look of games they played to make Glimmer disappear. With a sigh, he refrained to smack that grin off of Aurelius' face. But he refrained. For _now_.

"I'm buying all these victory drinks. Hope you saved up money, Omali cause I'm not stopping until I can't feel my face!" Aurelius had the audacity to gloat, Leianna giggling along.

"I didn't lose." Omali replied curtly.

"Yeah you did." There it was. That damn grin.

"No I didn't."

"Nope. I won."

Omali's hand shot out, gripping the front of the Warlock's robe. Leianna immediately stood, words calming and hands trying to stop him from smashing this friend's face in. Like always, it worked as his grip lessened and he shoved the Awoken man away.

 _"I wouldn't have lost if we hadn't run into that Dreg on Venus."_

Both of his friends froze up as if the subject had gobsmacked them. He knew from their expressions, though he wish he could mirror them, had caught them off guard. Leianna coughed into her fist, eyes averted but Omali could see the fire burning beneath them. As kind and calm as he knew her, the Exo had heard enough of her angry ranting to see how sore she was about the subject.

"We're going to have to report this, you know." Aurelius broke the silence, their eyes drawn to him. The Warlock looked somber, an expression he only showed when he was worried about something. "We can't keep information like this in the dark from the higher ups."

"Well, I'd just like to know what that Hunter was doing giving away a cloak to that _thing_." Leianna spat bitterly, drinking her water before a small hiccup escaped her. Omali then realized that she wasn't drinking what would be assumed as water and threw Aurelius a dirty look. The perpetrator shrugged innocently with a smile and sipped his drink.

"Well, you can do that, you traitor. I won't tell. If a Guardian defends a Fallen then I would just question them. Not run off to tell like a tattletale." It wasn't Omali's business. It wasn't any of their business at all. But the Exo's mind kept going back to them like a moth attracted to a light. Mostly, it went to the Hunter that had stabbed him. His wound long gone and healed, as healed as being an Exo could be, he pondered the things he saw.

For one thing, the Dreg started screaming for it's mom with perfect English. To say that he was surprised was an understatement. He wanted to know where it had learned their language, interested in how it could speak so clearly.

So he lowered his gun, a hand trying to reach for the Dreg for answers. It responded by dodging his hand and scream for its mother again. Did Fallen even have mothers? With basic understanding of their breeding habits, he knew they didn't need to breed. With another try he finally snagged one of its four arms, and heard it wail for its mother a third time.

Omali didn't want to scare it. He wanted to calm it down and try and talk to it but knowing how the Fallen were he was prepared for any resistance. Leianna had turned around in the corner of his eye, words coming from her mouth but was cut short with a shout. When he turned, he knew he had probably made a mistake.

Because he came face to face with the Fallen's _mother_ appearing in a flurry of knives ready to kill and parental rage. Losing the two was another thing, the Titan cursing Hunters for their inept ability to camouflage into any place. Especially Venus with the planet's foliage a perfect place to hide.

Omali didn't want to ask anything, not wanting to incur the wrath of his friends. He knew Aurelius' pride was damaged a bit and Leianna stewed for a while so coming to the Hangar bar seemed the best idea. Right?

So here he sat, watching his friends drink themselves silly with worry and thoughts on that one Dreg. Honestly, he would have never guessed a Guardian would come running to help it.

"Well we still have to tell." Aurelius chimed in, his words slurring a bit but catching his attention. Omali looked to all the empty mugs and cups around him and dreaded the bill. "I mean, a Guardian defending the enemy? That's freaking strange! She kicked me hard too. Damn Hunters and their kicks. No offense, Leianna." The mentioned person shrugged as she herself drank anything that the Warlock left untouched around her.

 _I'm going to go broke._ The Exo knew he had to do some extra patrols for all this and more if he wanted to stay on the health side of rich.

"Just keep it a secret for a while, guys." His drunk friends looked to Omali, perplexed.

"I want to bet on this." Leianna chirped up, swaying in her seat. A few other Hunters around her perked up, grins on their faces but one look from Omali had them back down.

"No Leianna, we won't bet on this. Don't give me that look. I think you've had too much to drink."

"You're a big softie, Omali. It's a wonder why Zavala hasn't made you into a killing machine dog. But I'll keep my mouth shut." Aurelius lifted up his empty glass as a toast to their secret. Leianna nodded slightly, laying her head down on the table.

Unbeknownst to the three, a lone figure in the shadows was listening to their conversation with rapt attention. Poised against the wall in the shadows, the figure blinked slowly at the information he just heard. So a Hunter on Venus defended a Fallen? Old news but with a new generation of Guardians it was going to be the new talk of the town.

Moving from the shadows, he revealed himself to be a Hunter that had a small smirk on his lips. The rest of his face was hidden in the shadows of his hood as he slowly walked away. The Hangar pub carried on without him, the sounds merry yet unknowing of what was to come.

He passed by Arach who wanted to have a chat with him but a look made thee Awoken man back off. With his hand already summoning his Ghost, he was set on finding a certain Dreg and Hunter on Venus.


	9. Chapter 9

Welcome yet another Guardian, people! The plot thickens even more!

 **Chapter 9: Stake Out**

"You sure this is a good idea?" The static voice of his Ghost said behind his back. It punctuated it's worry with a dramatic sigh when he didn't answer.

Now, any Ghost would ask this of their Guardian any day. Any day, any time. Whether it was from grand missions that had the Vanguard clapping to small things like whether splurging on your savings for a bean bag chair was a good idea. Believe any Ghost because their Guardians had their moments.

But this Guardian shook his head, returning to look through the scope of his sniper. Of course he thought it was a good idea. Who was his Ghost talking to?

He gave his Ghost a hurt look. The latter returned it with a blank stare.

"I'm just saying, Ghost," the Hunter smirked at the mention of his name. It was always funny to him that his name was Ghost, a cosmic joke if he were to put it. "That maybe spying on them will bring bad results." Again, who was his Ghost talking to? He wasn't like those reckless Hunters out there; the ones who jumped off buildings for money and get themselves almost killed on bets.

He was Ghost, a Hunter, a ruthless man on the battlefield and a scary person if you were to get on his bad side. Or so he thought himself. He knew many stayed away, the action that somewhat disheartened him. He just looked scary is all. If he had to pet a cat and start knitting for people to realize he wasn't always a terrifying person he would. Zavala would like him in his croquet classes but what would that do? Hunters would laugh but maybe a few Titans would respect him more. Maybe investing in croquet wasn't so bad at all anymore.

Wouldn't having a hand knit cloak look badass though? He would shame other Hunters any day.

But Ghost shook his head, dispelling these thoughts. Right now he had a mission. He would see through it no matter what. This said mission was camping in some bushes in Venus, waiting and watching for something to happen. Bugs buzzed by him often, a gloved death delivered swift and easy yet the Guardian was met with more. Still he stayed where he was, stubborn and not moving. Ghost was patient. He could wait.

But first landing on the planet's surface, Ghost realized the flaw in his plan as his boots touched the ground. _He had no idea where those three Guardians had seen the Dreg._ Chastising himself, Ghost had to search everywhere for a trace of the elusive Hunter and Dreg.

He found none. Not even where the most elusive Fallen were known to hide. It was like they didn't exist, ghosts made up by spooked Guardians that had their pride kicked. He wanted to spilt that Warlock a new one but he stayed still. The Titan and Hunter were different though, their words and expressions, not the Titan's though because he was an Exo, were truthful. The good thing about Hunters were good at was reading expressions, something they silently gloated about. But he couldn't read anything on how Fallen lied, or to ask where they had been recently. Quite disappointed, Ghost went along.

He was about to give up until his Sparrow glided over the land on the Ishtar Cliffs. There were always Fallen and Vex fighting off in an endless battle, their angry shouts and screeches heard from far away. It was always there and any Guardian knew this fact by heart. The field was always grassy, small hills here and there to add to the land. But farther off, Ghost saw an area the Fallen strictly avoided. They would walk faster away from it as if standing would spell doom and death for them.

Many shifted uneasily, the Dregs the most nervous among their ranks. The Vandals were more brave, barking out orders to the lesser with garbled clicks in guttural tones. The Captains were more elusive, peering above them from the fauna.

Ghost heard them from time to time growl from where they perched, the Fallen below snapping to attention quickly. Whatever out here obviously had them spooked.

This was a lead.

So here he sat, hidden and waiting for something to happen. His Ghost floated behind him, a mechanical vulture that buzzed and whirred every once in a while. After about three hours though, his leg had fallen asleep and his left finger twitched every so often on the trigger of the gun. With a tired sigh, he stood and slapped his leg for it to wake up. Ghost wanted to hunt. Maybe he wasn't so patient after all. He was starting to get bored, and anything around him was starting to blur. The bugs were pissing him off too.

Just when he was about to give up and go to another area, the Fallen he was watching began to look around them wearily. Ghost perked up, his eyes looking for any sign as to why the enemy was so restless. His eyes retuned to the scope, energy high and adrenaline pumping for something finally happening. For a few minutes he waited, eyes roving for anything but he found none.

Then he saw her.

Out of nowhere, a Dreg that was somewhat farther from the rest, screeched. A figure, a woman, jumped from a tree and landed on top of it. The other Fallen raised their guns to fight but she had already took out hers, emptying a clip of bullets into them. Ghost had to stop himself from standing up to see more. Instead, he stay hidden behind the foliage. His legs tensed, eyes watching keenly for her to do anything.

Even from far away, Ghost could see the reflecting light from her blade she pulled out. She stabbed down, the Fallen below her stopping its struggle as it died. She then began to take off things from the Dreg. The machines attached to the Fallen were the first to go. She ripped it from its dead body without a care and slung it over her shoulder. Then she searched the Dreg like a pocket picker. She did the same to all the other Fallen she had killed, taking their machines, some of their weapons, and other things Ghost couldn't see.

 _I understand Hunters are like scavengers, but she takes it to a whole new level. No wonder the Fallen avoid that area._

Realizing he was slowly edging himself out of his hiding spot, Ghost moved further back. His entire body froze though when he had made a twig snap. He cursed himself when, miraculously, the Hunter female look to where he was hiding. He was far away! How has she heard that? He wanted to curse everything at the moment when he snapped another infernal twig. Snarling at his errors, he glared into the scope at the Hunter who was now looking right

Her eyes bore into his in a silent stare down from across the field. Then she yawned, wobbling a bit in place as he finally got a good look at her. She looked tired, exhausted and looked as if a simple breeze would topple her over. He watched her continue her scavenging, the fields around her quiet until the next batch of Fallen were dropped in.

Ghost followed her every movement, curious of what this Hunter was doing out here. If this was the Hunter he was after then he had finally lucked out. The only thing he wanted to know where the Dreg was but movement from her stopped those thoughts. After a few minutes more minutes of looting, she began to walk towards him in a slow gait.

Ghost pulled out his trusty pulse rifle as she made her way across the field. His sniper disappeared from a snap of his fingers and his Ghost transmatting it away. He summoned his courage with deep breaths, the Ark within him racing at the chance of battle. Finger on the trigger, he made his presence known, stepping out of the green foliage.

"Good day, Guardian." He greeted as she neared. He would be polite if he needed to be. Good introductions were needed, no?

The other said nothing, her eyes looking him up and down. Had she even heard him? The atmosphere became tense as the two Guardians stared at each other. Her Ghost appeared during then, glancing between the two but staying silent. Before it could speak though it was her to break the silence.

" _Do you.._ " her voice was scratchy and Ghost saw that her eyes were puffy, red around the edges. Had she been crying? " _Do you have some Ether Seeds?_ "

Ghost pursed his lips, not expecting the question. He squinted at the other Hunter, curious and wary.

"I have Glimmer of you want." She reached into her pocket, the blue currency glowing slightly in her palm as she presented it. "Just a few will do. I'm sorry to ask of you but please." Ghost felt a strong stirring in his chest as he watched the woman tremble. Her hands shook slightly, sad or humiliating tears spilling from her eyes. Her breathing came out in short puffs, but she still held the Glimmer out.

"Easy now, Guardian." Her Ghost murmured but a wet hiccup escaped her mouth before she could bite her lip to stop.

Something twinged in Ghost, his heart hurting for such a sad Guardian. She was pitifully begging for items, her frantic movements earlier a sign that those Fallen didn't have what she wanted.

He wanted to help her, he truly did yet that small voice in his head told him no. This was a trap wasn't it? Or maybe she was truly in need of Ether Seeds. Maybe? He was riding on maybe. Taking in her haggard appearance, her mussed up hair and beseeching eyes, he felt his heart twinge and the adrenaline die down within him. Putting his larger hand over hers, he closed it over her money. She looked surprised, as if she didn't believe what was happening.

"Keep it." Pulling out a few Ether Seeds, Ghost handed it over to her. He looked to her just as she gave him the biggest, watery smile he had ever seen. The female Hunter then bent her head down in respect for him as she cried.

" _Thank you!_ " Ghost almost flinched at her tone. _Almost_.

"My baby boy will be so happy! He'll be okay. My Bo-" Ghost's hands caught her body as she fell. He grunted when he landed on his behind with her on top and held her up.

"Don't hurt her or I swear I will do something. Don't test me." Her Ghost threatened, an angry expression on it with one optic lowered. Ghost scoffed but when it began to hiss at him, he soothed it by nodding. Satisfied, the Ghost floated above her and watched.

Laying her down gently, he tried to wake her up but to no avail. So Ghost did the only thing he had to do. Wait. He watched her Ghost settle itself on her chest, still staring up at him, it's eye giving the knowing look of not trusting him one bit. He challenged it back with his own Ghost appearing to glare in return.

It didn't take a while but the female Hunter suddenly got up, surprising him for a second. Ghost was just about to lament that his leg was starting to fall asleep again. She bolted up, only to topple down once more. Ghost watched, perplexed as she even began to crawl away from him back towards the other end of the field.

Sighing, he picked her up. She struggled for a bit but that just tired her out even more. Her Ghost hissed at him again and he wanted to snap at the machine that it wasn't a cat.

"Just tell me where to go, I'll take you there." Realizing that he wasn't going to let her down, she glared at him. But after a few minutes, she weakly raised her arm and pointed across the field. Ghost took off, mindful of her heavy breathing and grunts.

This day turned out more than what he would have expected.


End file.
